This month's tab offering is a 2-part arrangement of the well-known drinking song "Show Me the Way To Go Home".  It is usually attributed to "Irving King", which was actually just a pseudonym for the 1920's and 30's British song writing team of Reginald Connelley and James Campbell.  They were primarily lyricists, and so usually worked in conjunction with other composers.  Other popular tunes they are credited with include "The More We Are Together", "If I Had You", "Goodnight Sweetheart", and "Try a Little Tenderness". 

Campbell and Connelley came up with their adaptation of "Show Me The Way to Go Home" for a British musical stage production in 1925.  But there is evidence that the tune was actually a much older song that originated in England, or possibly Ireland.  The "Irving King" version became wildly popular in those countries, and then quickly spread to North America.  Since then, it has been recorded by such disparate musicians as Bing Crosby; Ella Fitzgerald; Emerson, Lake, and Palmer; and Al Hirt.  It also became a signature tune performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians during his many New Year's Eve performances in New York City from the 1920's through the 1970's.  It was always his band's last tune of the evening.

In recent years, the song has remained in popular culture through its use in various television commercials (one popular ad for a GPS system uses this tune) and movies.  There is an especially memorable performance of the tune by the 3 shark hunters from the 1975 thriller film "Jaws", which you can view by clicking this link:

There are a few "chromatics" in this tune, so this arrangement requires the use of a capo (4th fret), to take advantage of both the 6 and the 6+ fret.  It is a 2-part arrangement, so find yourself another "designated dulcimer player", and enjoy this tune for New Year's Eve!

Wishing you all a safe, joyous and music-filled New Year!

In music and friendship,

--Tull

The commonly used set of lyrics are included with the tab, but here are some "optional lyrics" you can try use for fun sometime:

Indicate the approach to my habitual abode
I'm fatigued and I wish to seek repose
II had intoxicating liquor sixty minutes ago
And it's gone straight to my cranium (cerebellum),
Wherever I may perambulate
Upon land or ocean or effervescent liquid
You will always hear me reciting this refrain
Indicate the approach to my habitual abode